Call of Duty

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 Tactical Overview for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Season 03: Tips, Guides, Feature Details, and More

Call of Duty Staff

Outplay Your Competition

A squad-based mad dash for cash. An expansion of Resurgence to new locales. And a launch event where you can get special Weapon Blueprints and Operator Skins for a limited time.

Season 03 is set to change Call of Duty®: Warzone™ 2.0 in a massive way, especially in DMZ, where Infinity Ward introduces several major additions in this update. For all other WarzoneTM modes, Raven Software brings a reintroduction of Plunder and several Resurgence modes to take place on Al Mazrah.

This is everything you need to know about what will affect your personal meta in Warzone 2.0:

The New Gulag: Guide to Blacksite

Redeploy Drones, Perk Packs, and More

Trophy Hunt Launch Event Details

GENERAL OVERVIEW

  • Plunder 2.0. Complete with permanent rewards and new ways to earn Cash in matches, Plunder will return to Warzone 2.0 during Season 03.
  • Resurgence Redux. Massive Resurgence will be featured as part of weekly Playlist updates during Season 03.
  • New Gulag, Returning Features. Get a closer look at Blacksite, the Redeploy Drones in Al Mazrah, and more as part of this seasonal update.
  • Time to Trophy Hunt. Collect trophies during this seasonal launch event and exchange them for permanent items, such as Weapon Blueprints and Operator Skins.
  • Patch Notes to Drop This Week. Stay tuned for the latest long-form breakdown of all changes coming to this update, presented by our studios.

Massive Resurgence

Love Resurgence? Then get ready for its expansion to Al Mazrah.

During Season 03, Warzone 2.0 will introduce Massive Resurgence at launch. Both of these will use the standard Resurgence with some major tweaks depending on the variant:

Massive Resurgence, meanwhile, uses the entire Al Mazrah map and pits up to 150 players against each other in specific squad sizes, such as Quads or Trios. That means you should expect plenty of action across the entire map, especially in those final few circle collapses if numerous squads are still at full strength!

All previous advice and strategies for Resurgence and regular Al Mazrah Battle Royale infiltrations apply for this mode. Stick together as a full squad and do not leave any stragglers alive on any enemy teams, and you will be well on your way to victory.

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The New Gulag: Guide to Blacksite

Standard Battle Royale players are not being left out of this update. They can look forward to a new 1v1 Gulag…or at least prepare to fight for their life in a new arena if they are eliminated during the early stages of a Battle Royale.

Blacksite is a roughly rectangular, asymmetrical map with several interior spaces and long external routes, especially on the west portion of the map, where there is a large corridor that stretches between the two spawn areas. That area in particular is great for long-distance weaponry, if you have it in your Gulag Loadout; otherwise, it’s a clear path for equipment to be thrown down at the start of a duel.

For close-quarters engagements, use the various buildings, where Operators can weave in and out of doorways and other openings to disorient their opponents.

Because this map is also featured in Gunfight, the returning 2v2 Multiplayer mode in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II, feel free to take a break from Battle Royale and get some practice on this map with some random Loadouts. More intel on this map and the Gunfight Multiplayer mode can be found here.

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Redeploy Drones, Perk Packs, and More

The Season 03 update will bring several new and returning features to all Warzone 2.0 modes, especially Battle Royale, which will see the Redeploy Drones descend on Al Mazrah starting on April 13.

Redeploy Drones

First introduced to Ashika Island, Redeploy Drones are a new way to quickly travel across Al Mazrah — at the cost of being exposed to the elements and potential enemy gunfire.

Redeploy Drones in Al Mazrah will not be in the same positions for each match, but they will be roughly spaced apart in a way that allows for quick access to numerous points of interest. Outside of the train and other vehicles, these Redeploy Drones should be a fundamental part of your squad’s survival tactics, especially when it comes to escaping the circle collapse.

Perk Packs (Midseason)

Perk Packs are a new addition to Warzone 2.0. If you see one when scavenging Supply Boxes or whenever there is the opportunity to purchase a Perk Pack at a Buy Station, you should definitely grab it.

Because Perks are usually found in Loadout Drops, Perk Packs are absolute game changers, as they provide passive benefits to your Operator that otherwise only come in the middle or end of matches. Perk Packs are the default Perk Packages that could be used in Custom Loadouts. We especially recommend using the following if found:

Vanguard: A fantastic mix of movement, defensive, and tactical benefits, including the ability to restock equipment through Resupply and to receive enemy warnings through High Alert.

Recon: For the Operator who values intel above all else. Tracker and Birdseye are a dynamic duo for tracking enemy positions, while Double Time and Focus provide small benefits for practically any engagement, especially when using rifles built for long-range fights.

Specter: A strong choice for stealthy Operators, this package is built on Ghost, which hides you from UAV sweeps. Spotter is also helpful in terms of finding and destroying enemy equipment pieces.

Perk Packs are not just for Perkless Operators; those who have a Loadout with Overkill should consider picking up another Perk Pack, as the Overkill Perk’s benefit applies only to Loadout construction. That additional base Perk slot can be filled with Double Time, Bomb Squad, or another useful Perk from one of the Perk Packs, so definitely think twice before passing on a loose Perk Pack.

WSOW Open Playlist

In addition to the above, Operators should prepare for the launch of the limited-time WSOWTM Open Playlist from April 27–30.

More details about the World Series of WarzoneTM, including this open Playlist and how you can qualify for the Stage I Qualifier, can be found here.

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Trophy Hunt Launch Event Details

Time to add a few more trophies to your collection.

The Trophy Hunt kicks off Season 03 with a limited-time launch event where Operators must collect trophies — small coins brandishing a gold scorpion — dropped by enemy Operators in matches. These trophies can be collected in the following modes:

  • Modern Warfare® II Multiplayer: Every unique enemy drops one trophy. In non-round-based modes, this must be picked up in order to be banked. In round-based modes, such as Search & Destroy, simply eliminating a unique enemy Operator grants one banked trophy.
  • Warzone 2.0 Battle Royale / Resurgence / Plunder: Both enemy Operators and AI Combatants drop trophies. Trophies are lost upon death. Win the match or bank them at a Buy Station.
  • Warzone 2.0 DMZ: Both enemy Operators and AI Combatants drop trophies. Trophies are lost upon death. Successfully exfiltrate or bank them at a Buy Station.

Once players earn enough trophies, they can exchange them for a variety of rewards in the Event section of the main menu. At some point during the event, additional rewards will be put into the Event exchange store. All rewards earned here are permanent, including Calling Cards, Double XP Tokens, and two Weapon Blueprints.

The first Weapon Blueprint, the “Nightsting” Assault Rifle, is a Primary Weapon based on one of the community’s most popular weapon platforms — the TAQ-56. The five available attachments are balanced well for Multiplayer, and the weapon can hold its own in medium-range engagements within Warzone 2.0. The other Assault Rifle blueprint, the “Venom Strike,” is based on the special DMZ reward weapon platform and is built for both quick handling and multi-combatant engagements. Both of these Weapon Blueprints are specifically designed for night operations, which you can drop into as part of the new Oilfields map in Modern Warfare II Multiplayer.

There are also two completion rewards for this event in the form of Operator Skins. Collect 10 items to receive an Operator Skin, and all 15 items to get another Operator Skin.

Note: any unspent Tokens are automatically converted to XP at the end of the event, scheduled for the launch of Season 03 Reloaded later in May.

Plunder: Prepare for Its In-Season Launch with This Mini-Guide

Originally introduced at the launch of the previous version of Call of Duty®: Warzone™, Plunder is a squad-based, respawn-enabled mode where Cash is king. The squad that collects the most Cash after a set time limit, including an overtime period once a squad hits $1 million in Cash, wins the match.

During Plunder, you can eliminate enemies, complete contracts, partake in events, and clear out Strongholds and Blacksites to earn Cash. Operators can choose to hold their Cash, deposit it by using a Cash Deposit Helipad somewhere on the map, or procure and use a Cash Deposit Balloon for mobile transactions.

Outside of being the main resource for a win condition, Cash can be used at Buy Stations to purchase valuable items like Cash Deposit Balloons, Killstreaks, powerful [[REDACTED]] Weapons, and other new rewards.

New for Plunder 2.0

This new version of Plunder features a few changes to the in-match event system, new Buy Station items, and permanent rewards.

First, here are all the events that can happen during a Plunder match:

  • Blood Money. Not just a Plunder variant! Double Cash is earned for eliminating and looting Operators during a Blood Money event.
  • Cannon Fodder. [[REDACTED]]
  • Contractor. [[REDACTED]]
  • Choke Hold. [[REDACTED]]

Note that multiple events can happen in a single match, and some of these events are better to experience for yourselves…

Next, here are some of the new Buy Station additions with this version of Plunder:

  • Credit Card. Save more with the official Bank of Adal Quickscope Card, now with 10% Cash back on any and all purchases! No application or Ranked Skill Division Credit Score necessary, just a small introductory Cash fee.
  • Life Insurance. Leave a legacy…until you respawn, that is. Save 50% of your Cash on hand when eliminated by picking up Life Insurance for a small Cash fee.

Finally, whether you are casually playing matches or searching for every last reward in Warzone 2.0, Plunder offers nine unique rewards at its launch for completing challenges. These challenges include winning Plunder matches, eliminating AI Combatants or enemy Operators, or just simply playing the game. Rewards from these challenges include a Vehicle Camo, Calling Cards, and more.

More Intel in Patch Notes, DMZ Blog

With all this exciting new content, plus Ranked Play on the horizon, we know this community is ready for Season 03’s launch on April 15. Every studio working on Warzone 2.0 and Modern Warfare II — in alphabetical order: Activision Central Design, Activision Localization Dublin, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Team Ricochet, Toys for Bob, and Treyarch —  is looking forward to seeing their efforts come to life in just a few short days and will be monitoring all data and player feedback for future patches and updates.

One of these changes will excite Operators who took a trip over the rainbow this past March: Expect the return of one-shot sniper rifles — under certain attachment and platform conditions — as part of this seasonal update.

Furthermore, there will be a change to Buy Station locations that puts them in safer spots, such as indoor locations or places with nearby cover. This change will apply to both Al Mazrah and Ashika Island

Patch notes, blogs, and official announcements from Call of Duty® channels and studios are the only places to get confirmed and accurate updates for the Call of Duty franchise. Be sure to follow all Call of Duty social media accounts and check the Call of Duty blog daily for the latest news and other important announcements.

Also, Infinity Ward detailed the upcoming update’s impacts on DMZ, including Barter, the Contraband Workbench, and Persistent Operators, in a special studio blog here.

Stay frosty.

© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, MODERN WARFARE, WORLD SERIES OF WARZONE, and WSOW are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

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